Ireland take on Tonga in a Test match for only the third time, bringing back memories of their pool encounter at the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup and the 2003 summer tour clash in Nuku’alofa.
RUGBY WORLD CUP POOL B:
Saturday, September 16 –
IRELAND (1st) v TONGA (3rd), Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, 9pm local time/8pm Irish time (live RTÉ 2/RTÉ Player/UTV/ITV 1/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC 5 Live Sports Extra/BBC Radio Ulster/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: Having opened their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 12-try victory over Romania, Ireland’s next assignment is against Tonga in Nantes tonight as they look to stay top of Pool B.
Head coach Andy Farrell has made two changes in personnel to his back-line as Mack Hansen and Conor Murray come into the starting XV, while Ronan Kelleher and Josh van der Flier have been added to the pack.
Hansen makes his first World Cup start in the back-three alongside Hugo Keenan and James Lowe, with Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki, who bagged a brace of tries in Bordeaux, continuing their midfield partnership.
Murray starts alongside Jonathan Sexton at half-back for the 69th time, extending the pair’s Irish record. Leading his country for the 27th time, Sexton could become Ireland’s all-time top points scorer as he trails his old team-mate Ronan O’Gara (1083 points) by just nine points.
Up front, there is a maiden World Cup start for Kelleher alongside Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong, while Tadhg Beirne reverts to the second row to pack down alongside James Ryan.
Van der Flier’s inclusion at openside flanker also sees last weekend’s Mastercard player-of-the-match, Peter O’Mahony, switch to his usual blindside berth. Caelan Doris continues at number 8, as the only player to feature in every match for Ireland so far this year.
Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Craig Casey and Ross Byrne are all in line to make their World Cup debuts as replacements. Ireland’s bench options also include Rob Herring, Iain Henderson and a fully-fit Dave Kilcoyne and Robbie Henshaw.
As the designated ‘team B’ for this fixture, Ireland will wear their Canterbury alternate kit (white jersey, navy shorts and navy socks) as part of World Rugby’s colour blindness protocols.
Meanwhile, as the 20th and final team to play at this World Cup, former Wallaby Toutai Kefu is able to include four former All Blacks – number 8 Vaea Fifita and backs Salesi Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa and Augustine Pulu – in his starting line-up.
Fekitoa, who departed Munster in the summer as a BKT United Rugby Championship medal winner, won the 2015 World Cup with New Zealand. He combines with former Connacht centre Pita Ahki in the Tongans’ midfield.
Burly former New Zealand Under-20 prop Ben Tameifuna captains ‘Ikale Tahi. He is joined in a huge front row by two more French-based players, Siegfried Fisi’ihoi and Paula Ngauamo. Between them, the trio weight 387 kilograms or just under 61 stone.
Pulu, who won two New Zealand caps in 2014, is preferred at scrum half to regular skipper Sonatane Takulua. He renews his half-back partnership with William Havili, younger brother of current All Black David, from the 2022 tour of Romania.
Tonga have won 17 of their 45 games under head coach Kefu, including their most recent back-to-back victories over Canada (28-3 and 36-12). Before that, Kefu’s charges lost to Fiji (36-20), Japan (21-16) and Samoa (34-9) in the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).
Replacements: Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster).
TONGA: Salesi Piutau (Shizuoka Blue Revs); Afusipa Taumoepeau (Perpignan), Malakai Fekitoa (Benettong Rugby), Pita Ahki (Toulouse), Solomone Kata (Leicester Tigers); William Havili (Moana Pasifika), Augustine Pulu (Hino Red Dolphins); Siegfried Fisi’ihoi (Pau), Paula Ngauamo (Castres Olympique), Ben Tameifuna (Bordeaux-Bègles) (capt), Sam Lousi (Scarlets), Halaleva Fifita (Oyonnax), Tanginoa Halaifonua (Stade Francais), Sione Talitui (Crusaders), Vaea Fifita (Scarlets).
Replacements: Sam Moli (Moana Pasifika), Tau Koloamatangi (Moana Pasifika), Sosefo Apikotoa (Moana Pasifika), Semisi Paea (New England Free Jacks), Solomone Funaki (Moana Pasifika), Sione Vailanu (Glasgow Warriors), Sonatane Takulua (Agen), Fine Inisi (Moana Pasifika).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (England), Craig Evans (Wales)
Television Match Official: Tom Foley (England)
Pre-Match Quotes: Simon Easterby (Ireland) –
Tonga have got some of the best open field runners in world rugby. They’ve got guys in the forward pack that can mix it, they can offload. We’ve seen them in the URC over the last couple of seasons, a couple of players that play in Wales.
“And then in the backline, they’ve got attacking threats throughout their back-line. It’s a real challenge for us defensively, it’s one that we’re probably ready for after the Romania game.
“We didn’t have to get through that much work without the ball. It’s going to be a big step up from the challenge Romania threw at us. Tonga attack well but they certainly want to come and hit and put us off our rhythm.”
Toutai Kefu (Tonga) –
We’ve had some wonderful warm-up games so what better way to start off with a bang against the best team in the world. It’s a massive challenge for us, we’re looking forward to it.
“I’ve watched Ireland over the last 12 to 18 months and they’re absolutely deserving of the number one ranking. Very professional team, very cohesive team. No matter who they put out on the field, they’re going to be very hard to beat.
“(The former All Blacks in our squad) have had a massive input already, both on and off the field. The biggest difference is off-the-field stuff – mindset, professionalism, a really good attitude, so that’s been refreshing and the younger players have observed that.”
Pre-Match Videos –
Previous Meetings –
1987: Rugby World Cup Pool 2: Ireland 32 Tonga 9, Ballymore, Brisbane
2003: Summer Tour Test: Tonga 19 Ireland 40, Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku’alofa
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